Impact-resistant windows are meant for areas near the coast. They have a combination of high-performance materials and hidden reinforcements that go beyond what can be found on a standard window. Impact-resistant windows are required by building code in certain coastal locations where significant weather events and storms occur including hurricanes — such as parts of South Florida.* Various options are available, but our impact-resistant windows all feature laminated glass and performance upgrades like additional locks.

What makes a window impact resistant?

There are many test standards a window must meet to be considered impact resistant, but here’s what you’ll want to know. To be considered impact resistant, a window must pass both impact testing and PG testing.

Impact testing comes in two parts, the first test is meant to simulate the effect of flying debris. This involves shooting a 2x4 of specific dimensions out of an air cannon at a window in various specific ways. To pass the test, the window and impact-resistant laminated glass must not let the 2x4 breach to the interior. For the second test, the window is then pressurized through thousands of pressure cycles. These two tests together determine whether a window is impact resistant.

PG testing refers to the three tests that measure air, water, and pressure resistance. All our windows are subjected to PG testing, whether they’re impact rated or not. PG testing is performed through industry-wide tests, like NAFS.

Our impact-resistant windows have passed both impact-resistance testing and PG testing, which is why they can withstand some of the toughest coastal conditions.